Roof-truss



N. WAGNER.

ROOF TRUSS.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 10, 1920.

Patented Sept. 27, 1921.

2 SHEETSSHEET 1- N. J. WAGNER.

ROOF TRUSS.

APPLICATION FILED JAN-10,1920.

i a citizen of the United States,'residin Chicago, in the county of Cook and tate UNITED sTAr s pArENr OFFICE."

mcnoms .1. WAGNER, or CHICAGO, rumors. I

- Roar-muss,

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, NICHOLAS J. WAGNER,

of Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Roof-Trusses, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to roof trusses, par ticularly wooden roof trusses. The object of the invention is to provide a truss of this kind which can be easily and cheaply made,

which is compact in form, which is'satisfactory in operation, and not readily liable to get out of order. The invention consists in many features and details of construction very fully set forth in the specification and claims. I I

' Referring to the drawings in which like numerals represent the same parts throughout the several views, t

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a wooden truss supporting aroof, the same being constructed in a manner to embody the mecha: nism ofthis invention in its preferred form. Fig. 2 is aninverted plan View of the truss proper taken on the irregular line 2-2, Fig. 1. I

Fig. 3 is a vertical, sectional detail View,

Fig. 6 is an enlarged detail side view of the end of the truss at the point where it is supported on' or in the wall of the' building.

Fig. 7 is a bottom view of that portion of "the lower chord and attached parts appearing in Fig. 4.

Fig. 8 is a perspective View ofthe portions of the upper and lower chords where the joining member is separated one from the other.

Fig. 9 is a sectional end view on the line,

9-9 of Fig. 4.

In constructing the roof truss of this invention, the curved upper chord designated as a whole by the numeral 10 is'made up of two separate laminated sectionslfi of like construction placed on opposite sides of the l-atticevmembers 16 secured thereto by-bolts 68 in the ordinary manner; In the particular case here illustrated, each section 12 is made up of three'parallel layers 20, 21,-.and

22. of non-bent boards 18' placedon" edge,

"other ordinary each board having its upper surface out.

Specificationof Letters Patent. Patented Sept; 2'7, 1921. Application filed January 10, 1920. Serial'Nb. 350,628. I

so that the joints between abutting board members of a given one ofthe sections or integralparts 20, 2 1, and 22 break joint with each other in the obvious manner. The

great advantage of usingthese board members 18 illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5 placed on. edge and without bending inthe process of "making or putting together, is that the truss, Y when finally completed, is without initial bending strain tending to cause it to pull itself apart as is the casein prior structures where. parts strainedlbybending are used. The truss of this construction is capable ofaccurate calculation as to strains, while one bent in manufacture is not. This upper chord of truss is stiffened against lat-- 'eral movement 'by placing throughout its entire length-and between the side members 12, heretofore described, a stiffening member 32 in actual construction frequently a 2x4 timber, secured-in place by-nailingor any wood structures. y

This construction so strengthens the truss of a given weight that there is greater unsupported length of chord between lattice members of the truss, thus reducing the umber of lattice members required, and

consequently reducing the cost of the truss.

The lower chord of the truss designated obvious manner, common in I generallyby the numeral 34, is also made of two separated and, laminated members 36 .whose details of constructionare not of iniportance for'the purposes ofthis particular application. This lower chord 34 has placed between its side members 36'and adjacent to each of .its ends a spacing and reinforcing wooden strip or block 38, ex

- tending a sufficient distance toward the truss H center sothat. when secured inplace by bolt 40, this lower chord member is very strong and rigid at its end. Thfe's ide members '36 of the lower; chord are at their ends,- preferably but not necessarily cut away in angular lines 42 conforming to the curvature of the lower side 44 of the upper-chord with the result that when the parts are assembled the ends of the upper chord rest upon faces 42 of the lower chord and extend down to the level of the lower line 46 ofthe lower chord. In the particularconstruction here illustrated, the end of the member 32 heretofore described, enters a notch 48 in or adjacent to the end of member 38 heretofore described, thus assisting in bracing the upper chord to the lower chord and helping to insure the holding of the upper chord against lateral movement with reference to the lower chord under load on the roof 50 carried by the upper chord.

One ,of the important features of the invention is the use about this connection of the two chords of a U-shaped metal strap 52 lying in general in the horizontal plane of the lower chord passing around the end of the upper chord and positively. secured in place by'bolts 54 which pass through both sides of this U-shaped strap, both parts 36 of the lower chord and the central spacing member 38, heretofore referred to. These bolts 40, passing through this block 38 are very important, in that because of the central block held in place by the bolts 40, heretoforereferred to, it is unnecessary to carry the metal of the U-shaped-member 54 back to or beyond the part of the lower chord in which the bolts 40 are located, thus reducing materially the amount. of metal required, and the weight to be handled, and the structure is-also important in that it prevents the bolts 54 from cutting the members 36 of the lower chord 34 and thus prevents endwise movement of the "upper chord.

Another important feature of this U-shaped member 52 is that it lies wholly in a horizontal plane of the lower chord of the truss, and that consequently the strain, which it carries, is transmitted through it in straight lines instead of at an angle, as in prior constructions, and in the line of the horizontal chord of the truss, thus avoiding the rotary and shearing action which, in prior constructions, takes place when a member like 52 is secured at an angle to the horizontal chord of the truss, and is pressed upon in an angular direction by the upper chord of the truss.

Another important feature of the invention is the use in connection with the strap 52 of an adjustable anchor connecting the end of the truss to the building wall 56.

This anchor consists in a rotatable rod 58 screw threaded through any suitable sort of a bearing 59 carried in the end of member 52 and having at its outer end, a rod or plate 61 which serves the double function of bearing against the side of the wall 52 and of being grasped by a suitable tool for connection 59 to thus hold the wall in proper relation to the end of the truss. This construction prevents all trouble which, in practice, takes place when anchoring devices are built into a wall.

Another feature of the invention consists in reinforcing the lattice members 16 with strips, usually boards 60, cut to conform to the lower line 44 of the upper chord of the truss and theupper line 62 of the lower chord of the truss and abutting against them as clearly shown at the points 64 and 66 respectively of Fig. 3. This building out of the chord member 16 performs the double function of properly increasing in cross section the effective areas of the chord l6 and, in providing in the angular lines 64 and 66, a locking rigidity which is not present without them when the chord members are simply pivoted upon the bolts 68 of the upper chord and 70 of the lower chord.

The result of all the features of the invention described embodied in the truss as shown, makes atruss which is comparatively light for its strength, which will stay rigidly in place under all conditions of use and which is generally satisfactory at a minimum amount of expense. By making the top chord overlap the end of the lower chord as shown in Figs. 6 to 8, a lower end portion of truss is obtained than in prior constructions, and this correspondingly lowers the height of brick side wall required. In a job now under construction this brick saving alone is three hundred dollars.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. A roof truss comprising a curved upper chord connected from end to end by a lower chord, the two chords connected together intermediate of their ends by lattice members, the upper chord being a laminated structure composed of a plurality of layers of boards placed side by side in direct contact with each other throughout the truss length, each layer being made up of a plurality of abutting boards placed on edge and staggered with reference to each other, the upper edge of each board being curved to the curvature. of the truss; the successive boards being all alike so that the whole truss can be produced by using multiples of one board and definite fractions thereof at the extreme ends of the truss.

- 2. A roof truss comprising a curved upper chord connected from end to end by a lower chord, the two chords connected together intermediate of their ends by lattice members, the upper chord being a laminated structure composed of a plurality of layers of boards placed side by side in direct contact with each other throughout the truss length, each layer being made up of a plurality of abutting, boards placed on edge and staggered with reference to each other, the shapes of the respective boards being such that they fully overlap and reinforce each other, at each joint, thereby dispensing with the necessity of separate joint lapping plates.

3. A wooden roof truss having an upper curved member chord, a lower straight chord connecting the ends of the upper chord member, lattice work between the two chords, the upper chord being composed of two separated side members 12, each made up of a plurality of layers of boards placed side by side in direct contact with each other throughout the truss length, each layer being made up of a plurality of abutting boards placed on edge and staggered with reference to each other, the lattice members entering the upper chord between said separated parts, as distinguished from abutting against the bottom of the chord,

, for the purposes set forth.

4. A wooden roof truss having an upper curved member chord, a lower straight chord connecting the ends of the upper chord member, lattice work between the two chords, the upper chord being composed of two separated side members 12, each made up of a plurality of layers of boards placed side by side in direct cont-act with each other throughout the truss length, each layer being made up of a plurality of abutting boards placed on edge and staggered with reference to each other, the lattice members entering the upper chord between said separated parts, as distinguished from abutting against the bottom of the chord,

said lattice members, however, stopping short of the top of the chord and abutting 7 against a solid spacing member 32 extending along the length .of the chord.

5. In a device of-t-he class described, an upper chord and a lower chord of the truss, each made up of separated members, lattice members between the separated members of each chord'extending in opposite directions toward the other chord and a. reinforcing board for each lattice member attached thereto and angularly bearing at its ends against its adjacent faces of the chord, for the purposes set forth.

6. In mechanism of the class described, a roof truss having separated upper and lower chords, .each chord being made of two laterally separated members, two angularly disposed lattice members attached to one chord at a common pivotal point between the separated members of said chord, extending in different angular directions to the opposite 'chord occupying the entire width of the space between the separate parts of the chord. and a reinforcing plate 60 for one of said lattice members rigidly attached toits side and having angular ends 64 and 66 bearing against opposite faces of the opposite chord, for the purposes setforth:

In witness whereof I have hereuntosubscribed my name in the presence of two witnesses.

NICHOLAS J. WAGNER. Witnesses DWIGHT B. CHEEVER,

ANNA RosENTHAL. 

